Arkansas Traveler (album)

Arkansas Traveler is an alternative folk album released by American singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked in 1992. Her fourth album for Mercury Records, the songs focused around the roots of her music. The album included collaborations with several other artists, including Taj Mahal, Alison Krauss, Tony Levin and Norman Blake. Jack Irons plays drums at the beginning of track 6. Uncle Tupelo plays on track 6. The album name may have been derived from the folklore of the Arkansas Traveler.

Arkansas Traveler
Studio album by
Michelle Shocked
ReleasedApril 1992
GenreAmericana
Length58:47
LabelMercury
Producer
Michelle Shocked chronology
Captain Swing
(1989)		 Arkansas Traveler
(1992)		 Kind Hearted Woman
(1994)

Reception

Reviewing the album for Rolling Stone, Mark Kemp gave it four stars out of five, calling it "ambitious".[1] William Ruhlmann of AllMusic also gave the album four stars out of five. He also found it an ambitious album, calling Shocked "feisty" and "exuberant". He also noted the album's lack of commercial success.[2] Her desire to have the cover portray her in blackface in tribute to the roots of the music featured on the album drew criticism and a change in the cover art.[3]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Michelle Shocked; except where noted.

  1. "33 RPM Soul" – 4:10
  2. "Come a Long Way" – 4:43
  3. "Secret to a Long Life" – 3:50
  4. "Contest Coming (Cripple Creek)" – 3:35
  5. "Over the Waterfall" – 4:39
  6. "Shaking Hands (Soldier's Joy)" – 3:25
  7. "Jump Jim Crow" – 3:32
  8. "Hold Me Back (Frankie and Johnnie)" – 5:09
  9. "Strawberry Jam" – 4:33
  10. "Prodigal Daughter (Cotton Eyed Joe)" – 6:43
  11. "Blackberry Blossom" – 3:31
  12. "Weaving Way" – 2:57
  13. "Arkansas Traveler" – 4:20
  14. "Woody's Rag" (Woody Guthrie) – 2:51

Personnel
  • Michelle Shocked as "Arkansas Traveler" – guitar, mandolin, vocals
  • Buddy Fambro, Mark Goldenberg, Albert Lee, Pops Staples, Jay Farrar, Taj Mahal, Doc Watson, Tim Stafford, Norman Blake, Steve Connolly, Jimmy Driftwood, Max Johnston – guitar, vocals
  • Bernie Leadon – guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals
  • Hassan Kahn, Jerry Scheff, Tony Levin, Jack Herrick, Jeff Tweedy, Harold Floyd, Steve Edelman, Jon Schofield, Barry Bales – bass
  • Garth Hudson – accordion, keyboards
  • Levon Helm – mandolin, vocals
  • Chris Frank – accordion
  • Bob Murphy, Michael Holmes, Peter Bull – keyboards, vocals
  • Fiachna O'Braonain – guitar, vocals
  • Tony Harrigan – tin whistle
  • Peter O'Toole – bouzouki, bass
  • Liam Ó Maonlaí – bodhrán, piano
  • Leo Barnes – B3 organ, saxophone
  • Bland Simpson – piano
  • Mitchell Froom – B3 organ
  • William T. Mason, Denny Fongheiser, Kenny Aronoff, Jerry Marotta, Jerry Fehily, Mike Heidorn, Waldo LaTowsky, Martin Parker, Michael Barclay – drums
  • Jack Irons – snare

Charts
Chart performance for Arkansas Traveler
Chart (1991–1992) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[4] 33
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[5] 42
UK Albums (OCC)[6] 46

References
  1. Kemp, Mark (May 1, 1992), "Michelle Shocked : Arkansas Traveler : Music Reviews", Rolling Stone, archived from the original on October 1, 2007, retrieved January 6, 2010
  2. Ruhlmann, William. "Arkansas Traveler > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  3. Caughie, Pamela L. (1999). Passing and Pedagogy: The Dynamics of Responsibility. University of Illinois Press. pp. 54–. ISBN 9780252067709. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  4. "Australiancharts.com – Michelle Shocked – Arkansas Traveler". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  5. "Charts.nz – Michelle Shocked – Arkansas Traveler". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  6. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
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